A 17-year-old boy charged in a stabbing rampage at Franklin Regional High School is responding well to mental health treatment, according to his attorney, who said he remains hopeful that the case will be moved to juvenile court.

Alex Hribal is charged with attempted homicide and aggravated assault in the stabbings of 20 fellow students and a guard last April in Murrysville. Defense attorney Patrick Thomassey said a psychologist and a psychiatrist have been meeting with Hribal several times each week for the past three or four months.

"It has helped Alex tremendously. He's doing very well. The experts, I compliment them. They go to see him three to four times per week. He's doing much better," Thomassey said after a pretrial conference Friday. "One of the most important aspects of a motion to transfer a proceeding from adult court to juvenile court is whether or not the youth is responding to treatment."

A judge gave Thomassey until March 15 to file additional motions, including a request to move the case to juvenile court.

As far as Hribal's demeanor, Thomassey said the changes have been profound, including asking about the victims.

Hribal faces potentially decades in prison if convicted as an adult. He'd be released no later than age 21 if he's convicted as a juvenile.

"This is not a whodunit, obviously," Thomassey said after Friday's conference. The key question remains where the boy should be tried and how he should be punished or treated as a result, Thomassey said.